Primary Cell and Tissue Processing and Imaging Core

Baylor College Of Medicine, Houston TX

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The purpose of Primary Cell, Tissue Processing and Imaging Core (Core C) is to provide centralized and[unreadable] expert handling and processing of primary cells, tissues, and to serve as an imaging facility. This Core will[unreadable] be in charge of establishing and maintaining techniques for culturing primary human cells, including airway[unreadable] epithelial cells, and will provide molecular cellular, histological and ultrastructural information for each of the[unreadable] experimental projects. It is highly beneficial to the Center that these activities be performed in a centralized[unreadable] fashion, as it would be difficult and inefficient to run these highly specialized functions by separate[unreadable] laboratories. The Specific Aims of Core C are: Aim 1: The Core will provide expert, centralized initial[unreadable] processing and characterization of human samples. It will transform these samples into primary cells in[unreadable] culture. The Core will develop a cryogenic bank of primary cells, ensure appropriate storage, inventory, and[unreadable] coordinate their distribution to Center investigators. Aim 2: The Core will provide molecular, cellular,[unreadable] histological and ultrastructural information for each of the experimental projects.[unreadable] Core C will perform primary cell culturing, histology, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence microscopy[unreadable] deconvolusion microscopy, live cell imaging, confocal microscopy and electron microscopy. Additional[unreadable] services, including three-dimensional image analysis of fluorescently labeled cells using deconvolution[unreadable] microscopy, will also be available. The facilities available for the Core are all located within close proximity[unreadable] of the investigators' laboratories on the 5th and 6th floor of Baylor's main building. The Core has[unreadable] fluorescence and light microscopy with computer-assisted image analysis and deconvolution microscopy[unreadable] with three-dimensional image analysis capability. In addition, physically located within the Center is the[unreadable] Seymour Lieberman Electron Microscopy Laboratory, which is a dedicated facility for transmission electron[unreadable] microscopy and morphometric analysis. Specialized techniques will be used to localize specific proteins in[unreadable] primary cells, cell lines, and lung tissues. For monolayer cell culture analysis, light microscopic level using[unreadable] immunohistochemistry and, in cases where fluorescent antibody detection is used or when fluorescent[unreadable] fusion proteins are utilized, deconvolution microscopy will be employed in conjunction with computerassisted[unreadable] three-dimensional image reconstruction and analysis. Confocal microscopy will be used for thick[unreadable] tissue sections, for some live cell imaging experiments and for some of the experiments requiring laser,[unreadable] e.g., fluorescence recovery following photobleaching. In addition, Core personnel will carry out initial tissue[unreadable] processing and analysis.